Charles Sauriol

Charles Sauriol spent his lifetime preserving many of the beloved natural areas in Toronto. His hard work, commitment and passion, has shaped Toronto, and his efforts are a lasting legacy throughout Canada.

Born in Toronto in 1904, Sauriol spent many summers camping in the Don Valley with his east Toronto Boy Scout group, where he fell in love with the Don Valley and became inspired to protect the Don for generations of urban explorers. His stories and memories of the Don Valley can be found in his journals and novels. Read Remembering the Donhere!

Legacy
1927: He leased a 40-hectare property at the Forks of the Don1947: He purchased the land and built a cottage for his family, where they planted a wild flower garden, tapped maple syrup, canned fruit and vegetables and kept bees
1949: Co-founder of the Don Valley Conservation Association, with the mission to preserve the Don Valley as a woodland park
1954: He joined the Don Valley Conservation Authority, which is now known as the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)1966: Sauriol joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada as the administrative director1968: TRCA acquired the Sauriol property, in its efforts to acquire most of the private property in the Don Valley
1982-1987: He became the executive director at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, where he was responsible for raising funds, awareness and acquiring natural areas across Canada, with over 500 properties being saved in Ontario alone1989: In honour of Sauriol’s commitment to conservation, the east branch of the Don River, from the Forks of the Don up to Lawrence Avenue East was named the Charles Sauriol Conservation Reserve1991: He helped found the Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve